Hot Doug’s Hot Dogs

Driving up, you’ll immediate be met with a line of folks going down the street alongside of the building. Everyone has eyes of hunger. The line isn’t the fastest especially on a cold Chicago day. Little by little it dissipates and we make our way in the door. Then we see the menu (it’s pictured). Dogs sport fancy names like Don Rickles, Shawn Dunston, and Steve Diggle, and on the handwritten board are the specials, which could be ostrich, lamb, rib eye, or a few others. You get to the front of the line, and you see the man who resembles the hot dog logo, it’s Buddha of Buns, the Sultan of Sausage, King of Condiments – Hot Doug himself.

He’s friendly, and will work with you so you can have what you want. He’ll even make sure to get you a seat, so you can eat in if you want to. I order the lamb dog which is $7, and the Shawn Dunston in honor of the Cubs which was $3.5o. Most of the regular dogs hover in the $3 area, so getting two is ideal. Fries (with Duck fat) works, but they also have them plain. If you’re a veggie, then they do have a dog for you too. The lamb has that wonderful gamey flavor and it’s sausage style. It’s nice and although Doug said it’s a 1/4 pound making me think it’s huge, it’s about the same size as a thicker hot dog. I’m not a dairy king/queen, so I got mine without, but the special dogs are usually served with cheese. The Shawn Dunston is a chicken sausage dog. Perhaps Shawn liked chicken, and this is a tasty one especially ordered with everything. The pickle and tomato is a nice touch. Ryne Sandberg got no dog, but Shawn did. Go figure.

Evidently Doug worked as a chef, got tired of it, and decided to simplify and opened a hot dog stand. He now takes every order, opens from 10-4, and I’m sure is doing quite well. Chicago is famous for hot dogs, and Hot Doug’s is the place for the hungry.